Do you long to spend quality time with God? Did you know that God desires to have meaningful conversations with us? Through the gift of prayer, we can commune with God any time and anywhere. Sometimes we just need to get away to a lonely place by ourselves and God and spend some quality time in His presence. This can be difficult if you don't know where to begin or what to do.

Jan Johnson, an author, speaker, spiritual director and retreat leader, has written "Living in the Companionship of God", a personal retreat guide, designed to ignite a passion and desire for God and teach you to live life in the daily companionship of Christ. She offers seven conversations that can be used over the course of a weekend or taken more slowly a day at a time. Each conversation can be revisited as many times as you want and can be used in a group retreat or a solitary one.

This is not just a book you will read. It is a book you will use over and over and over again. You will discover a new relationship with God and with yourself. You will find a more fulfilling way to communicate with God and will grow in your walk with Him. It definitely won't be put on a shelf to gather dust.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress as part of their Book Review Blogger Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Last September a friend of mine went on a spiritual retreat of silence. After spending the summer with my very exuberant children, a silent retreat sounded like heaven itself. When I saw the personal retreat guide entitled: Living in the Companionship of God by Jan Johnson, I knew it could be my sanity saver this summer. The premise of this book is to answer the question "Is it possible to live in God's companionship all day long?" Through chapters (called conversations) such as: God as companion of my soul, pleading with God, weeping with God, thanking and celebrating with God, and going on adventures with God, the answer to that question is a resounding YES.

The introduction outlines what a retreat is and is not, and gives many suggestions to ensure a successful time apart. Each chapter/conversation can be used as a mini-retreat and has the same format for consistency. The conversations begin with Opening to God's Message, followed by Immersed In, Responding To, and Resting With God's Message. A prayer by Dietrich Bonhoeffer is given before the scripture reading in each chapter and closes with a stanza of The Breastplate of St. Patrick. The author encourages the reader to interact, engage and personalize the Scriptures, and there are several opportunities to see a particular passage from different perspectives. Questions guide the reader to help focus on his or her own situation in relation to the text, and is strongly encouraged to "park" in a spot if it resonates before moving on.

I eagerly look forward to putting this book to use this summer when a few hours of peace and reflection will do me and my children a world of good.

I give this book 4 stars out 5.

I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.